General Newsletter - 10th of February 2023

In this Issue

• Welcome from the Chair
• RDANI Staff Member Receives University Medal
• Collaboration Makes Nundle Video Spectacular
• Glen Innes Local Named NSW Woman of the Year Finalist
• Revive: A Place for Every Story, A Story for Every Place
• Making Commercial Innovation Accessible for Mining Sector SMEs
• Featured Grants and Funding Opportunities

 

Welcome from the Chair

Dear Northern Inlanders,

Welcome to the first edition of our newsletter for 2023! A new year brings an opportunity to make a fresh start. It also provides renewed motivation to work on making improvements in our personal lives, in our workplaces and in our communities.

I was pleased to read about the range of initiatives put forward by the Australian Government in the new Cultural Policy Revive. The value of the arts to the well-being of our communities and the economic contribution is often undervalued. Despite downward pressure due to Covid-19, in 2021, the Arts and Recreation sector contributed over $110 million to our region’s output and generated $25 million in salaries. The support announced by the Australian Government will allow this sector to recover from the pandemic's impact and prosper.

The beginning of the year is also an excellent time to reflect upon the achievements of those around us. So many people around our region do incredible things, often without acclamation. The recognition provided through the Australia Day awards allows our communities to commend the often tireless efforts of our community members. I extend sincere thanks and congratulations to Robbie Sefton, appointed as AM, and to the OAM recipients in our region, Deni McKenzie, Jeanette Berman, Kent Mayo, Kym Stanford, Philip Hungerford, Rosemary Curtis, and Wilfred MacBeth. Also, to everyone who received an Australia Day award at the ceremonies held around the region.

I would also like to congratulate one of our staff members, Rebecca Wright, who Charles Sturt University recently awarded a Postgraduate University Medal for her Master of Commerce. Rebecca has been an integral part of the RDANI team for twelve years and is a key contributor to our successful outcomes for communities across the region. Congratulations Beck!

Regards,

Russell Stewart
Chair

RDANI Staff Member Receives University Medal

Our staff member, Rebecca Wright, has been honoured with a prestigious Postgraduate University Medal from Charles Sturt University for outstanding grades in her master's degree.

“The University Medal is the highest honour that a student can receive. To be awarded a University Medal, a student has to achieve High Distinctions (HDs) in nearly all their subjects” noted the University.

Rebecca originally completed a Bachelor of Business (Business Management) and a Bachelor of Information Technology through Charles Sturt University in 2002. She then relocated to the Armidale area in 2004. Twenty years later, she completed her Master of Commerce (Marketing / Small Business).

Over the last twelve years, Rebecca has been proud to be part of the RDANI team. “I greatly enjoy working in an organisation that actively benefits its community and provides opportunities to make a positive difference in my region.” she said.

Rebecca is pleased to be able to apply her knowledge and skills to RDANI’s initiatives. “I have been able to apply my learning to our various projects directly, and I look forward to working on some projects of my own using what I have learnt in my master’s degree,” she said.

A country girl at heart, after having grown up in the small township of Warren in Western NSW, Rebecca hopes to help the voice of regional communities be heard, break down the barriers between cities and regional Australia, and dispel the myths about regional and rual lifestyles. “Regional Australia provides so many opportunities for those who live here. There is great potential to utilise marketing strategies alongside modern technology to promote what our communities have to offer.” she said.

Rebecca is grateful for the support she received from her family, the RDANI team and Charles Sturt staff throughout her educational journey. “I would like to thank my family for their patience and support and the ever-supportive Charles Sturt academic staff that made themselves available and were so patient with all my questions.” she said. “Working full-time, being a mum to two wonderful children, and studying at the same time presented many challenging times, and it often felt like there weren’t enough hours in the day. However, the support of my husband and children got me through, and many times, hearing my children say - ‘you can do it mum’ helped me keep going.”

Collaboration Makes Nundle Video Spectacular

Highlighting our region's beauty and community spirit through video is key to promoting it to potential visitors and new residents. The new Nundle destination video created by the Nundle Business Tourism and Marketing Group does just that. It also demonstrates the value of collaboration, combining the work of videographer Sally Alden, Nundle singer-songwriter Jeff Gibson and local business owners.

The four-minute video features 12 Nundle businesses and six attractions and events. It was funded jointly by Business Group members, and Destination Tamworth through its marketing support program.

The business group worked on the video over several months, allowing several events and the changing seasons to be captured in the video. It also features interviews with several Nundle business owners sharing why Nundle and Hanging Rock are special to them.

The video features prominently on the home page of the Nundle website where you can also find information about visiting Nundle and its wide range of community events and attractions. You can also follow them on Facebook.

Glen Innes Local Named NSW Woman of the Year Finalist

Past RDA-NI Committee member, and Glen Innes Local, Mary Hollingworth has been honoured as a finalist in the NSW Community Hero category of the 2023 NSW Women of the Year Awards.

Mary Hollingworth is very well-known in the Glen Innes and Deepwater area as a proud community advocate, including the 2022 Chairperson of the NSW Rural Women’s Gathering and a long-time volunteer with the Rural Women’s Network. She has worked collaboratively (and tirelessly) to deliver 500 events, seminars, functions and information and training sessions for rural women and families in the Glen Innes, Deepwater and Tenterfield regions.

Among her many roles and past experiences, she is an active member of numerous local organisations including CWA, Far West Red Cross, Deepwater Hall Trust and View Club. Mary was a member of the Glen Innes Show Society Ladies Auxiliary for 25 years, serving as president from 2004-2008.

NSW Community Hero is one of seven award categories in the 2023 program, including the Premier’s Award for NSW Woman of the Year, selected from the category winners.

Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said the 34 remarkable women and girls recognised as finalists are making a significant impact across the board, from science to education, health, industry, culture and community. “I’m always inspired by the calibre of women nominated for these awards and the outstanding contributions they are making in their communities across the state,” Mrs Taylor said. “There were almost 400 nominations, showcasing incredible women from all walks of life who are championing positive change. These finalists are an inspiration to us all and it’s wonderful to see them getting the recognition they deserve.”

You can find out more about the 2023 NSW Women of the Year Awards, including details of all the finalists, on the NSW Government’s website.

Revive: A Place for Every Story, A Story for Every Place

The Australian Government has released a new National Cultural Policy, Revive, which will set the course for Australia’s arts, entertainment and cultural sector for the next five years. Revive will empower our talented artists and arts organisations to thrive and grow – unlocking new opportunities, reaching new audiences and telling stories in compelling new ways.

It will provide drive, direction and vision to the $17 billion industry, which employs an estimated 400,000 Australians. Backed by $286 million in dedicated funding over four years, Revive’s centrepiece is the establishment of Creative Australia, the Government’s new principal arts investment and advisory body. Creative Australia will expand on and modernise the Australia Council’s work with additional funding of $200 million over four years.

Within Creative Australia four new bodies will be established:

• A new First Nations-led body that will give First Nations people autonomy over decisions and investments
• Music Australia, a dedicated new body to support and invest in the Australian contemporary music industry
• Writers Australia, to support writers and illustrators to create new works
• A new Centre for Arts and Entertainment Workplaces to ensure creative workers are paid fairly and have safe workplaces free from harassment and discrimination

Revive is built on five pillars but puts First Nations first - recognising and respecting the crucial place of these stories at the heart of our arts and culture. Other key measures within Revive include:

• Sharing the national collection by establishing a program of long-term loans of works from the National Gallery of Australia's collection to regional and suburban cultural institutions across Australia.
• Introducing stand-alone legislation to protect First Nations knowledge and cultural expressions, including to address the harm caused by fake art, merchandise and souvenirs.
• Establishing a First Nations Languages Policy Partnership between first Nations representatives and Australian governments to improve outcomes for First Nations peoples.
• Enhancing the Resale Royalty Scheme to provide royalty payments to visual artists, including First Nations artists, from the commercial sale of eligible works internationally.
• Developing an Arts and Disability Associated Plan, under Australia's Disability Strategy 2021-31, to enable people with disability to access and participate fully in the cultural and creative life of Australia.
• Increasing support for regional arts and culture through an increase to the Regional Arts Fund.
• Supporting specialist in-school arts education programs that directly draw from cultural and creative sector expertise, focusing on areas of identified disadvantage.
• Modernising and extending the Public and Educational Lending Right Schemes to include digital content under the schemes.
• Providing pilot funding to support access to art and music therapy programs, and generate valuable data on the broader community impact of, and demand for, these services.

Revive also commits the Government to regulating Australian content on streaming platforms; improving lending rights and incomes for Australian writers; increased funding for regional art; and other measures.

You can read the full Revive policy online on the Department’s website.

Making Commercial Innovation Accessible for Mining Sector SMEs

The CSIRO is making commercial innovation more accessible for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in the mining and mining equipment, technology and services (METS) sectors through the Innovate to Grow program. This program offers a free online course for research and development (R&D) expertise and support to eligible SMEs in the early stages of engaging in R&D or pursuing a new idea.

It is a 10-week online program where experienced researchers and innovation experts guide participants as they examine their technical or business challenges, explore R&D opportunities, and develop actionable business and funding plans.

The course will help businesses to:

• identify their innovation opportunities
• refine their value proposition
• understand the R&D viability
• help build their business case
• provide guidance on how to prepare a strong funding application.

The program is made up of virtual webinars and self-paced learning Upon completion of the program, participants may be able to access facilitation support, through CSIRO, to connect to research expertise nationally, and may be eligible for dollar-matched R&D funding.

Monika Szabo, SME Collaboration Manager for CSIRO, said the Innovate to Grow program was designed to help small-medium businesses understand how to engage in R&D by showing them pathways to access funding, mentoring, and a highly connected network through research organisations and their own sector.

“The Innovate to Grow program is aimed at Australian companies with less than 200 employees, and currently is offered at no cost to participants,” Dr Szabo said. “In doing so we hope to remove some of the barriers that smaller enterprises face when they have an idea they would like to pursue. At the completion of the program participants will have received assistance in defining their goals, developing a business case for R&D from a university or CSIRO, and even prepare a funding proposal. Their professional networks will also receive a boost as they will connect with peers in their cohort, sector-specific mentors, and with CSIRO, which has the largest mineral resources R&D capability in the world,” she said.

The CSIRO’s Innovate to Grow: Mining/METS program commences Monday 9 March, and is available for 20-25 SMEs. Eligibility criteria apply and applications close Monday the 13th of February.

Featured Grants and Funding Opportunities

Below are some featured grants and funding opportunities from the multitude of open grants listed in the Grants and Funding Opportunities area of our website. Our website is updated weekly with new listings and updates and all are applicable to our region, so it is a great resource if you are looking for funding for a specific project.

You can also sign up to our Business and Infrastructure Funding Opportunities and the Community Grants and Award Programs newsletters through the simple form located on the left-hand side of our website: www.rdani.org.au, to receive monthly summaries of currently open grants.

 

Growing Regional Economies Fund
Closes: 23rd of May 2023 - 5:00 pm
Value: $2 Million to $30 Million
Run By: NSW Department of Regional NSW

The Growing Regional Economies Fund will support projects that have a strong alignment with the Regional Economic Development Strategies (REDS) and increase infrastructure investment and economic activity within regional NSW’s Functional Economic Regions (FERs). It will facilitate the delivery of the NSW Government’s 20-year Economic Vision for Regional NSW by co-funding transformational projects that enable economic growth and prosperity in regional communities.

The Growing Regional Economies Fund aims to accelerate economic development and prosperity in regional NSW, increase the appeal of investing in regional NSW, support investment in major transformational projects that increase employment opportunities in regional areas and ensure that regional communities have the infrastructure and services required for sustainable growth.

The Fund also has a focus on enabling infrastructure that will support investment in regional housing projects to meet demand generated by growth in employment and economic activity.

 

Indigenous Languages and Arts - Open Competitive Grant
Closes: 10th of March 2023
Value: Up to $200,000
Run By: Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts

The ILA Program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to express, preserve and maintain their cultures through Indigenous languages and arts activities.

Grant funding allocated through the ILA program supports activities that:

• Preserve, revitalise and sustain Indigenous languages by:
  • Supporting the use of spoken language in everyday life by facilitating language practise in a range of contexts through culturally appropriate learning and teaching activities.
  • Supporting community members to improve their language knowledge and skills and build capacity in the sector by providing language learning and teaching pathways that include opportunities to gain formal qualifications in learning and teaching an Indigenous language.
  • Recording, preserving and making available Indigenous languages using digital technology in an innovative and culturally appropriate way.
  • Facilitating the use of Indigenous languages in everyday life by producing and providing access to language materials that enable community to enjoy, learn, use and teach their languages.
• Create, promote and celebrate Indigenous cultural expression by:
  • Developing, producing, presenting, exhibiting or performing a diverse range of traditional and contemporary Indigenous art forms which could include dance, theatre, film, literature, music and traditional Indigenous arts and crafts.
  • Promoting and celebrating Indigenous art forms and providing access to arts activities that enable community to enjoy, connect and take pride in their cultures.

 

Tertiary Access Payment
Closes: Ongoing
Value: Up to $5,000
Run By: Services Australia

The Tertiary Access Payment (TAP) is a one off payment of up to $5,000. It’s to help eligible students with the cost of moving to study. This is for study after you’ve finished year 12 or equivalent.

To get the payment you need to meet some rules. These include:

• moving from a regional or remote area for tertiary study
• starting tertiary study in the year after finishing year 12 or equivalent.

You can claim this payment in your first year of tertiary study only.

 

Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) - Round 14
Closes: 2nd of March 2023 - 5:00 pm
Value: $100,000 to $3 Million
Run By: Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources

The Cooperative Research Centres Program (CRC-P) supports industry-led collaborations between industry, researchers and the community. The program is a proven model for linking researchers with industry to focus on research and development towards use and commercialisation.

The program consists of two elements:

• CRC Grants to support medium to long term, industry-led collaborations; and
• CRC-P Grants to support short term, industry-led collaborative research

Round 14 will support short-term industry-led collaborative research that focuses on Government priorities including the circular economy, the National Reconstruction Fund priority areas and the Science and Research Priorities.